ONANCOCK, Va. - First responders with the Onancock Volunteer Fire Department braved frigid waters Tuesday morning to rescue a dog trapped in the ice.
Officials with the fire department say they received a call just after 8 a.m. on Jan. 27 reporting a dog had become stuck on the ice before falling into the Chesconessex Creek in Accomack County.
Both fire and EMS crews responded to the situation, and a rescuer in a cold-water ice suit used an inflatable raft to reach the stranded canine. Rescuers say they then pulled the dog back to shore, where Accomack County Animal Control began treating it for hypothermia and minor paw injuries sustained from the jagged ice.
(Onancock Volunteer Fire Department Inc.)
“We are grateful that the situation ended safely, not only for the dog but also for the responders, who are not frequently tasked with this type of emergency,” the Onancock Volunteer Fire Department said in a social media post. “We thank the Accomack County Department of Public Safety, the Accomack County Sheriff's Office, and the Virginia Marine Resource Commission for their assistance in this incident.”